August 01, 2014

Sierra Leone: Ebola kills 80 in Koindu

Community Health Officer (CHO) in charge of Koindu Health Center Mr. Sulaiman Kanneh Saidu has said the population of Kissi Teng chiefdom is now “drastically reduced” because of deaths caused by the Ebola virus.

Speaking to Awareness Times by telephone Mr. Kanneh said in Koindu Town and its environs alone, no less than 80 persons are listed down as dead from Ebola between May to early July this year.

He however said, of late, there has been no new cases of Ebola in Kissi Teng. According to him, the isolation center is presently empty because there has been no new or suspected cases of Ebola. This, he attributed to the sensitisation and also sanitization being done by the Ministry of Health & Sanitation and it partners.

The APC Councilor for Ward 10 in that area of Constituency 003, Mr. Emmanuel T. Sakilla said Plan Sierra Leone has provided them “veronica buckets” and Chlorine to wash their hands in order for them to be protected from the Ebola virus. He also confirmed that the situation is now calm and stable due to the awareness raising they have engaged themselves in within the chiefdom.

He said in the initial days “so many, many people” all around Koindu died because of lack of understanding about Ebola in that part of the country. He disclosed that World Food Programme (WFP) is presently in Koindu taking the names of the bereaved families; especially orphans, to see what feeding support can be given to them.

Meanwhile, several of the community residents said the borders between Guinea & Sierra Leone and between Sierra Leone & Liberia have all been closed until the situation is over. A prominent trader in Koindu Town, Madam Augusta Korfeh said border closures was affecting them but they all “perfectly understand why it should be so for now”. She said they have closed all markets in Kissi Teng now.

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Community Health Officer (CHO) in charge of Koindu Health Center Mr. Sulaiman Kanneh Saidu has said the population of Kissi Teng chiefdom is now “drastically reduced” because of deaths caused by the Ebola virus.

Speaking to Awareness Times by telephone Mr. Kanneh said in Koindu Town and its environs alone, no less than 80 persons are listed down as dead from Ebola between May to early July this year.

He however said, of late, there has been no new cases of Ebola in Kissi Teng. According to him, the isolation center is presently empty because there has been no new or suspected cases of Ebola. This, he attributed to the sensitisation and also sanitization being done by the Ministry of Health & Sanitation and it partners.

The APC Councilor for Ward 10 in that area of Constituency 003, Mr. Emmanuel T. Sakilla said Plan Sierra Leone has provided them “veronica buckets” and Chlorine to wash their hands in order for them to be protected from the Ebola virus. He also confirmed that the situation is now calm and stable due to the awareness raising they have engaged themselves in within the chiefdom.

He said in the initial days “so many, many people” all around Koindu died because of lack of understanding about Ebola in that part of the country. He disclosed that World Food Programme (WFP) is presently in Koindu taking the names of the bereaved families; especially orphans, to see what feeding support can be given to them.

Meanwhile, several of the community residents said the borders between Guinea & Sierra Leone and between Sierra Leone & Liberia have all been closed until the situation is over. A prominent trader in Koindu Town, Madam Augusta Korfeh said border closures was affecting them but they all “perfectly understand why it should be so for now”. She said they have closed all markets in Kissi Teng now.